Managing canine weight with a diet plan

Photo: Tetiana/Adobe Stock

How to create a diet plan for combating overweight body conditions in canines was the highlight of an educational session at the 2024 Fetch dvm360 Conference in Long Beach, California. Presenting speaker Leilani Alvarez, DVM, DACVSMR, CVA, CCRT, director of integrative and rehabilitative medicine at Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York, New York, began her lecture by addressing the prevalence of obesity in dogs and the need for weight management.1

In the US, a 2022 survey showed that 59% of dogs were obese. Collected by the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention, this data also indicated that obesity was rising, with an increase of 3% in prevalence since the previous survey in 2018 that showed 56% of dogs were obese.²

“Obesity is the No 1 problem we all see is veterinarians, and there are a lot of strategies that I have learned over the years,” Alvarez said.

She first discussed the comorbidities associated with obesity in dogs with includes widely known conditions such as diabetes, osteoarthritis and hypertension. “Every single body system is affected by being obese. Some that you might find surprising, and I think owners find surprising,” she told the Fetch audience.

Alvarez recalled 2 pet owners that she had conversations with about their pets’ body conditions. “Have you noticed that your overweight patients often have more allergies? Have you noticed that your overweight patients often have respiratory conditions as well? Those are likely linked to their obesity,” she said.

“The other one that I think owners don't realize is cancer. Being obese puts the dog in a state of systemic inflammation, and what is the precursor to most cancers? Chronic inflammation. So certainly being overweight and obese does predispose to cancer, as well as other metabolic and endocrine disorders,” Alvarez explained.

“Another one that seems to surprise people is kidney dysfunction. People don't think about being overweight as causing kidney disease, because most of our kidney patients are really skinny, but what did they look like years priors. And really that's common in all of these [conditions] is that the way the mechanism by which obesity causes all of these comorbidities is because it causes chronic inflammation,” she added.

Creating a diet plan

A key component of any diet plan is obtaining ‘buy-in’ from the pet owner, and that starts with an appointment to discuss weight loss strategies. Alvarez noted that even small weight loss achievements can help improve a pet’s quality of life and body condition, such as reducing pain and lameness.¹

“I recommend starting with simple and small goals, targeting 1% to 2% weight loss per week with frequent follow-up visits—initially once weekly for the first 4 weeks, and then every 2-4 weeks,” Alvarez said. “Owners always ask me, ‘so how much weight should my dog be?’ And I'll say, ‘what I don't want you to think about is where am I going to be at the end? Let's think about next week.’ So, plan just 1 week at a time, that is much more tangible for owners, and it's much more simple instructions as well.”

She noted that veterinarians will often recommend a reduction in caloric intakes as a solution to losing weight. “When dogs are more the 15% overweight, simply reducing caloric intake is likely to fail in successful weight loss,” she said.

Instead, Alvarez said she recommends transitioning a pet to a prescription diet that can provide higher amounts of protein for retaining muscle mass while adipose tissue decreases. “Feeding a therapeutic weight loss diet has also been linked with higher likelihood to both reach the target weight and keep the weight off long-term,” she said.

Exercise should also be incorporated into a weight loss plan, and Alvarez offered other tips. These tips included using puzzle feeders that increase the time a pet takes to complete a meal, calculating daily caloric requirements, and having pet owners use gram scales to measure food.¹

Alvarez also noted that having input from pet owners when implementing a diet plan often leads to improved adherence. Working together, a veterinarian can learn what aspects of a plan may be nonnegotiable and resolve those issues with alternative solutions.

“I learned the hard way that if you tell a [client] to stop feeding treats, they will continue to feed treats. They just won't tell [their veterinarian],” she said. Instead, she said that she encourages owner to feed treats to their pets with a discussion on the types of foods and when they are administered. For example, she said, it’s best to avoid fruits because of their sugar contents.

Using communication and incentives

The 2022 survey results found that pet owners often have a different perception of a dog’s body condition than a veterinary professional. The survey showed 36% of respondents with dogs that were overweight or obese, classified their pets as having a “normal” or “thin” body condition when a veterinary professional asked.²

Body condition charts can help illustrate an appropriate weight range for a pet. Alvarez suggested staying positive and refrain from making a client feel guilty by avoiding negative words such as “obese,” “fat,” “suffering,” and “painful.” Instead, she recommended focusing on wellness intentions such as wanting a pet to feel good and be happier and to have life longevity.¹

“Dogs that are obese have a reduced life expectancy and diminished quality of life. This is very well established, so even though the majority of owners who have overweight dogs [care for them] the way they do because they're trying to spoil them, they love them. [I] don't think they would do that if they realized they were going to spend less time and their dog has a lesser quality of life because of how they're feeding them,” Alvarez said.

For obtaining ‘buy-in’ from clients, it can also be mentioned that with improved pet health, they can save money on veterinary expenses. Furthermore, client incentives can help achieve buy-in for a diet plan, Alvarez said. These rewards can take many different forms. Some ideas she presented included printing an award certificate, providing a bandana with the clinic’s logo for the pet, or a free bag of dog food for meeting a milestone.¹

References

1. Alvarez L. Diet and exercise plans for overweight dogs. Presented at: Fetch dvm360 Conference; Long Beach, CA. December 6-8, 2024.
2. 2022 Pet Obesity US Prevalence Survey. Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. 2023. Accessed December 7, 2024. https://www.petobesityprevention.org/2022